Fiber conditioning machine



March 18, 1952 RE. GETCHELL 2,589,797

FIBER CONDITIONING MACHINE Filed June 15, 1947 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1 /5 t 1y \\\\I// A? 7; m f 1 IN V EN TOR.

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FIBER CONDITIONING MACHINE Filed June 13, 1947 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 JNVENTOR. l /@/m Z65Ma% a //4 BY w m Patented Mar. 18, 1952 FIBER CONDITIONING ZMACHINE Raymond E. 1Getchel1, Holyoke, Mass, assignor to B. F.:Perkins & Son, .Inc., Holyoke,-Mass., a corporation of Massachusetts Application 'June 13, 1947,,"SerialNo."754,342

:2 Claims. "(01. 19 c5) This invention relates to improvements in iapparatus for conditioning textile fibers.

The principal objects of the invention are directed to novel apparatus for conditioning textile fibers of various'kinds for the elimination of foreign substances therein.

'F'ibers of all kinds, particularly animal fibers, used in the textile industry contain a considerable amount of foreign substances or bodies and it is to the removal of these that the invention is particularly directed. Such foreign bodies must be removed for the desired and proper processing of fibers and to that end'the'apparatus hereof is constructed and arranged to :be located adjacent a carding machine 101' machines 'to break up and remove these foreign bodies.

As a special'feature of the invention the :apparatus includes :a plurality of pairs of draftrolls for drawing fibers, as for instance :in :sliver form, into the form of :athin web which is acted-upon by'pairs of extender .rolls that act on and break up the foreign bodies or substances without injury to "the fibers :and in combination therewith means is provided to adjust the spacing :of the pairs of dra'ftrolls.

.Fibers of different lengths or'staple for the most economical and efficient operation require that the draft-rolls be spaced apart a distance =toaccommodate a certain length or staple and the novel construction of this invention accomplishes the same with ease andreadiness.

With the foregoing and various other novelfeatures and advantages and other objects of; my invention as willbecome more apparent as the :description proceeds, the invention consists in certain novel features of construction and :in the combination and arrangement of parts "will-be hereinafter more particularly pointed out tion of the left-.hand side frame :of the apparatus shown in. Fig..2,;

.Fig. '5 is :a similar view of the upper portion :of the right-hand 'side frame;

Fig. 6 is a sectional plan view on the line iof'Fig. '5;

Rig. 7 an enlarged fragmentary sectional- 2 view through the periphery of a 'pairofex'tend'er rolls of the apparatus; and

Fig. -'8 'is a sectional elevational view on the line-8--8 ofFig."5.

Referring now to the drawings more "in detail, the invention will be fully described.

/A base 2 is provided which is supported 'by.

described -are driven by mechanism "to be described and is located outside the side frame '6' and 8 andnormally concealed by cover members 29and 22.:as:shown*in;Figs.11and52. These cover members are arranged for ready removal from the apparatus so :as to expose the driv'ingmechan'ism which will be explained :with reference 1170 Fi s. '4 :and :5.

This side frames 6 and 8 have openings liand 'Qtherein and vertical members-92 and 94 at'the forward sides and horizontal members .34 ta'tthe'ir :upper :sides.

Fig. 4 f is an "elevational view .of the upper :por- "tlpn of :the 'frame6,the-cover 20' not being shown, .and Fig.5 is a 'similar view of the upper-portion .of "the frame :8 at the opposite .side-of :the ma- 'chine.

A [shaft 28 of the :rearmost of the upper extenderrolls I8 is journalled-in bearings 36-andi30 which are fixed to upper portions 34 of the'side franres. Other bearing members such as -36 and in which a shaft 33 of the other :extender roll .18 is journalled are slidable horizontally between the upper portions 34 of the :side frames :and lower stationaryrmembers 40.

Theshaft 28 may be the main drivingrshaftof the apparatus and it may be connected to any suitable source of power by belts, gearing, roller chains or the like. The shafts '28 and :38 are operativelyconnected bygears '42 fixed thereto at the left-hand .sideof theJmachine.

A "shaft 44 of the innermost extender :1011 1-6 is ,iournalled .in bearings 4-6, below bearings 30, which are fixed to the frame construction. .A shaft -48 of the'other extender roll IE is rotatable in :bearings 50 which -are=slidab1ein members {52 sacured to the :frame construction. Springs :54

idler gears may be used on the stud 60 and the Y arm 62 is held in place by a stud 63 engaging the side frame 8 and extending through a slot of the arm 62, as shown. As the shaft 28 is rotated, the extender rolls I6 and I8 of the pairs thereof are rotated for their. "co-action and the relative speeds of the pairs of rolls may be varied by changing either gear 56 or 64. Gears 66 are fixed to the shafts 44 and 48 to operatively connect the said shafts and the rolls I6.

Stationary bearings 68 are fixed to the frame members 6 and 8 and shafts 10 of the uppermost and innermost draft rolls I4 are journalledtherein. Bearings 12 are slidable in members 14 fixed to the frame construction and a shaft 16 of the outermost draft roll I4 is journalled therein. Springs 18 act on the bearings 12 to yieldingly hold the uppermost draft rolls-I4 in operative engagement.

The intermediate draft rolls I2 have shafts 80 and 82 rotatable in bearings 84 and 85. From the bearing 84 upper and lower spaced members 86 extend to support the bearings 85 for sliding movements and members 90 secured to the members 86 are provided which slide up and down relative to the vertically disposed members 92 and 94 associated with the side frames.

Springs such as 96 yieldinglyurge the bearings 85 towards the bearings 84 sothat the intermediate draft rolls I2 are held in yielding en- The frames 6 and 8 are provided with vertically I extending slots II4 on inner and outer sides. Keys such as I I6 are secured tothe bearings 84 and I04-and' are sli'dable in the slots II4 so that the bearing assemblies for the lower and intermediate pairs of draft rolls may be moved vertically of the side frames and relative to one another to adjust the spacing between the pairs of draft rolls.

'A transverse member I20 extends between the side frames 6 and 8 and screws I 22 have lower ends journalled therein adjacent the inner sides of the side frames 6 and 8. Gears such as I24 are fixed to the lower ends of the screws I22 and are i'n-mesh with gears I26 which are fixed to a transversely extending shaft I28 that isjournalled in the frames 6 and 8. a

A crank I3!) is fixed to the shaft I 28 so that -on rotation thereof the screws I 22 are rotated.

The bearings I04 and 84 are provided with bosses such as I32 which are split, as shown in Fig. 6. Bushings I34 are clamped in the bearings by means of screws I31. The bushings I34 are internally screw threaded and threadedly receive the screws- I222. The bushings {are held against rotationby screws I38 in engagement with the Members I I0 fixed to the mem-' 4 bearings. The screws I22 have upper and lower threaded portions I23 and I25 of different pitch. The lower portion I25 may be of greater pitch than the portion thereabove so that as the shaft I 28 is rotated there is greater upper or down movement of the draft rolls I0 than of the rolls I2.

An idler gear I48 is rotatable on a stud I50 of an arm I52 which is swingable on shaft 44, see Fig. 5. Said gear I48 is in mesh with a gear I54 of shaft10. The arm I52 is held in place by a bolt I53 extending through a slot thereof and gears of various sizes may be used on the stud I50.

A gear I56 is fixed on shaft 16 and is in mesh with the gear I54, so that the extender rolls and the-uppermost draft rolls I4 are interconnected so as to be driven from the shaft 28.

Shaft 10 thus being driven, a sprocket I58 is fixed thereon and a chain I60 in engagement therewith is also in engagement with a sprocket I62 fixed to shaft I00. The chain I60 also engages ai sprocket I64 which is integral with a gear I65 rotatable on a stud I66. The gear I35 meshes with an adjacent gear I42 of draft roll I2. The chain I60 passes over an idler sprocket I68 rotatable on a stud I10 of a tightener arm I12 which is oscillatable on a stud I14. A spring I16 around stud I14 is arranged as shown to swing arm I12 counterclockwise to tension the chain I60 in all relative positions of the draft rolls.

The draft rolls I0 and I2 are rotated by the chain, sprockets and gearing described.

The draft rolls of the pairs thereof will have circumferentially spaced and longitudinally extending coacting grooves and teeth as is common with draft rolls and the same may be alike or common to the rolls as may be desired.

It will be observed that the spacing between the pairs of draft rolls or ratch may be varied to accommodate the staple or length of fibers and the adjustment may be readily and easily made while the apparatus is in operation.

The extender rolls of the pairs thereof are provided with circumferentially extending alternate grooves and teeth I1 shown at an enlarged scale in Fig. 7. The elements are formed so that as the rolls of a pair rotate the sides of adjacent teeth coact with a sliding action and are arranged to receive the fibers there between without injury thereto while at the same time the rolls act to break up and extend the foreign substances associated'with the fibers and thus condition the fibers for subsequent operations.

The teeth of the rolls I6 and I8-may be of the same size and shape but will depend on the conditions to be met.

As has been stated, the fibers are delivered to the lowermost draft rolls I0 and pass upwardly through the draft and extender rolls so that the fibers are drawn out so as to dispose the foreign bodies and substances therein in such a way as to be readily acted upon by the extender rolls.

The relative speed of the pairs of extender rolls may be varied by changing either gear 56 or '64 and the speed of the draft rolls relative to that of the extender rolls may be varied by changing either gear 64 or 10.

The. invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from theessential characteristics thereof. Hence, the present embodiments are therefore to be considered in all respects merely as being illustrative and not as being restrictive, the scope of the invention being indicated by the appended claims rather than by the foregoing description, and all modifications and variations as fall within the meaning and purview and range of equivalency of the appended claims are therefore intended to be embraced therein.

What it is desired to claim and secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. Fiber conditioning appa" us comprising in combination, a supporting structure including horizontally spaced vertically extending side frames, upper and lower pairs of extender roll bearings at upper ends of said frames, a stationary bearing of each pair-"thereof being fixed in said side frames and a movable bearing of said pairs being slidably guided for movement towards and way from said stationary bearings, spring means urging said movable bearings towards said stationary bearings; upper and lower pairs of cooperating extender rolls having end shafts journalled for rotation in the upper and lower pairs of extender roll bearings, upper stationary draft roll bearings -fixed in said side frames below the lower pair of extender roll bearings and upper movable draft roll bearings being slidably guided for movement towards and away from said upper stationary draft roll bearings and spring means urging said upper movable draft roll bearings towards said upper stationary draft roll bearings, a cooperating pair of upper draft rolls having end shafts journalled in said upper stationary and movable draft roll bearings, intermediate stationary'draft roll bearings slidable up and down in (said side frames below said upper draft roll bearings and intermediate movable draft roll, bearings being slidably guided for movement jtowards said intermediate stationary bearings and spring means urging said intermediate movable bearings towards said intermediate stationary bearings, a pair of intermediate cooperating draft rolls having end shafts journalled in said intermediate stationary and movable draft roll bearings, lower stationary draft roll bearings slidable up and down in saidiside frames below said intermediate stationary bearings and lower movable draft roll bearings slidably guided for movement towards said lower stationary bearings and spring means urging said lower movable draft roll bearings towards said lower stationary bearings, a pair of cooperating lower draft rolls having end shafts jojirnalled in said lower draft roll bearings, the end shafts of the rolls of each pair thereof being provided with intermeshing gears, driving connections between one roll of each pair of draft rolls, and driving connections between the shaft ends of one roll of the pairs of extender rolls and the shaft end of one of the rolls of the pair of upper draft rolls.

2. Fiber conditioning apparatus comprising in combination, a supporting structure including horizontally spaced vertically extending side frames, upper and lower pairs of extender roll bearings at upper ends of said frames, 21 statowards said tionary bearing of each pair thereof being fixed in said side frames and a movable bearing of said pair s being slidably guided for movement towards and away from said stationary bearing, spring means urging said movable bearings towards said stationary bearings, upper and lower pairs of cooperating extender rolls having end shafts journalled for rotation in the upper and lower pairs of extender roll bearings, upper stationary draft roll bearings fixed in said side frames below the said lower pair of extender roll bearings and upper movable draft roll bearings being slidably guided for movement towards and away from said upper stationary draft roll bearings, and spring means urging said upper movable bearings towards said upper stationary bearings, a cooperating pair of upper draft rolls having end shafts journalled in said upper stationary and movable draft roll bearings, intermediate stationary draft roll bearings slidable up and down in said side frames below said upper draft roll bearings and intermediate movable draft roll bearings being slidably guided for movement towards said intermediatestationary bearings and, spring means urging said intermediate movable bearings towards said intermediate stationary bearings, a pair of intermediate cooperating draft rolls having end shafts journalled in said intermediate stationary and movable draft roll bearings, lower. stationary draft roll bearings slidable upand down in said side frames below said intermediate bearings and lower movable draft roll bearings slidably guided for movement lower stationary bearings and spring means urging the said lower movable draft roll bearings towards said lower stationary bearings, a pair of cooperating lower draft rolls having end shafts journalled in said lower stationary and movable bearings, the end shafts of the rolls of the pairs thereof being provided with intermeshing gears, driving connections between one roll of each pair of draft rolls, driving connections between the shaft end of one roll of one pair of extender rolls and the shaft end of one of the rolls of the pair of upper draft rolls, and means for sliding said intermediate and lower draft roll bearings up and down relative to one another and vertically relative to said side frames.

RAYMOND E. GETCHELL.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 304,296 Congdon Sept. 2, 1884 412,531 Nouvelet Oct. 8, 1889 2,143,876 Harris Jan. 17, 1939 2,271,191 Gossett et al. Jan. 27, 1942 2,335,108 Clapperton et al. Nov. 23, 1943 2,459,240 Pharo Jan. 18, 1949 

